Tinsel fairy

[metalbender]

Has anyone photographed the aftermath of a visit from the fairy? Many have spoken but I have not found hard evidence. Have had a couple of weights bubble a bit, wondering about a lexan shield in front of the pot.

[Charlie Two Tracks]

From what I gather. The Tinsel Fairy can be something small as you described to a full pot emptying blast. It's the amount of steam that lifts the lead. Mild to very violent.

[duckndawg]

its not pretty she has come to see me once! I had to kick her a#$ out the door and told her NOT to come back again!

[BruceB]

Try a live primer in the melt....THAT will get your attention!

There are still splatters on the ceiling of my hip-roof-style shed from that episode. It was no fun whatsoever.

This occurred after some sized-and-lubed .338 bullets spilled onto the floor, and were contaminated by that gritty surface. Obviously one of those sticky fellers picked up an unseen primer, and then...into the pot WHAM! Not nice, not nice at all. The Fairy is a bitch-kitty.

That was the first time I'd net her, in over forty years' casting. I hope it turns out to be the last.

[dragonrider]

One time in my casting pot, condensation on an ingot, half the pot on the floor, ceiling, bench, everywhere but me thankfully. And one time in the smelting pot. WW's weren't as dry as I thought. Those were both back in the early days, and since then nothing goes into my casting pot that hasn't been preheated and I never add to a hot smelting pot, always start from cold.

[selmerfan]

Try a live primer in the melt....THAT will get your attention!

There are still splatters on the ceiling of my hip-roof-style shed from that episode. It was no fun whatsoever.

This occurred after some sized-and-lubed .338 bullets spilled onto the floor, and were contaminated by that gritty surface. Obviously one of those sticky fellers picked up an unseen primer, and then...into the pot WHAM! Not nice, not nice at all. The Fairy is a bitch-kitty.

That was the first time I'd net her, in over forty years' casting. I hope it turns out to be the last.

Exact same thing happened to me a couple of weeks ago, but it was a fairly minor experience. Louder than hell, still finding shiny splatters on stuff on the bench...

[mold maker]

Been there also. Range lead collected while the NC red clay was damp. sprayed off with a hose till I THOUGHT I could inspect. A loaded .40 cal round slipped by my attention, till I spotted it in the pot. I turned and almost outrun the 700 degree silver rain. Most of 40 lbs of molten lead in a geyser reached the tree limbs 14' overhead. I still have the silver specked ball cap I was wearing. It's hanging in my reloading room, to remind me of what not to do.
No, I didn't take pictures,,,,,,,,,,, I changed my underwear.
Now I wash the range lead in a cement mixer till it's clean. Then I spread it on the cement drive to dry and rake through it thoroughly to expose it to both my eyes and the sun.
Over 2 tons since then with no more incidents.

[lwknight]

I have a permanant reminder of the visit on my arm.
I also have a sparkly ceiling. Definately not fun.

[Blind Eye]

I have had the primer in the mix before. It will get your attention. It splattered my house and me. My pants had a good amount on them. My right forarm still carrys a half inch scar from the burn. I have since put a TPO on the tinsle fairy and hope to never see her.

[white eagle]

I had a brief visit<aren't they all>
when I put my ladle in the mix without preheating it
apparently it had condensation(sweat) on it thats all it took

[beanflip]

While dropping boolits in water (quenching) a drop of water ended in the mold cavity and this is what happened ....... the mold blew a part with a expolding noise and this is what I found!

After math : Mold is all right and all finger still there.

Now I drop boolits in a way I dont get a splash back.

And no this is not a new way to make hollow points or boolits.

[UweJ]

Got visited too, some time back. Added new ingot and didn´t notice any moisture. Started to bubble and I could turne away quick enough. I wore safety glasses but she still got me on the side next to the right eye. Only a small scar left, but I don´t need to see her again,lol

[Von Gruff]

The fairy herself has so far stayed away but she has sent o couple of her kids to visit. They only splash ( to young to spray yet) and have the odd small reminder. I still cant wear gloves as I like to be able to feel what I am doing.

Von Gruff.

[theinfamouselguapo]

I didn't take a picture but I will always have a 'reminder' of her visit. Got down to the bottom of a 5 gal bucket over the course of two days of making ingots. I could, and should, have parked them on a tin in front of a space heater when I started on the rest.

Wasn't too bad of a mess (compared to other stupid mistakes I've made) and I didn't lose all that much lead, but I promise you the warnings aren't without merit.

Eventually I'm going to doodle a picture of the "Tinsel Fairy" to hang on the shop wall.

[oldhickory]

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn179/krag1894/Picture015.jpg

That nice shiney spot on my right ring finger in the center of the picture is a reminder of the last visit. I have no idea what caused it, the pot had just come up to temp and I was just about to put on my welding glove when, "ssst-POW!" I was lucky to be several feet from the pot at the time.

[chboats]

Happened to me a few years ago. When I add lead to a pot that is up to temp, I hold the ingot in a set of channellocs and let it melt at the top of the pot. Had some ingots that had been out in the weather for a few months. The ingot slipped and went to the bottom. It started to bubble so I turned my head and threw up my arm to protect my face. When it blew it emptied a 20 lb pot. I had almost a solid coat of lead on my shirt under my arm and all over my casting bench. Never want to see that happen again.

The tinsel fairy is definitely live and well and will come to visit those that are not careful

Carl

[btroj]

Have never had a major visit but small ones are not real uncommon. Every couple years I get a small burn on my hands. Usually a small splash from a dripping pot.

I am very cautious about adding lead to a pot that is melted. I cast til little lead is left then add some sprue until their is a bit of solid metal on top of the melt. Then I place an ingot in the pot.

I hope to keep the fairy away but realize that mistakes do happen.

Brad

[*Paladin*]

Haven't met her yet, but I got a bit nervous this morning while smelting. A cloud passed over and it started to sprinkle. I could hear the rain drops sizzle when they hit the molten lead. Needless to say, I got the lid on the pot quick and poured the ingots in the safety of the garage. Fortunately, the rain didn't last long.

I have a healthy respect for her from everything I've heard here, and the little drops that have splashed on my hands from dropping rejects back into the melter.

[mold maker]

She is a sly old witch that is content to wait around for years till you drop your guard for only a second. She even lets you do things that you know you shouldn't. Then out of nowhere she stomps her foot or kicks your rear to remind you she exists.
Wear all cotton long sleeves and long pants even when it's too hot. Leather shoe tops must be covered by pant legs. A hat with a brim all the way around looks foolish, but better it gets lead plated than your dome, ears, and neck. Safety glasses protect your aimers. Without them you won't need boolits. Welders gloves keep you from having blisters and sore hands that can't hold a firearm.
Don't give her a preventable chance to show you who's boss. She will eventually find a mistake you made and surprise even the most cautious. When that happens the above advice will keep her from making you, more than embarrassed.

[Tom Herman]

Haven't met her yet, but I got a bit nervous this morning while smelting. A cloud passed over and it started to sprinkle. I could hear the rain drops sizzle when they hit the molten lead. Needless to say, I got the lid on the pot quick and poured the ingots in the safety of the garage. Fortunately, the rain didn't last long.

I have a healthy respect for her from everything I've heard here, and the little drops that have splashed on my hands from dropping rejects back into the melter.

OK on the rain... I wouldn't worry about it getting into the pot, as it will just sizzle on the surface. I'd worry more about the mould.
I was CAD welding one day at a radio site (essentially themite welding thick copper grounding wires together) when ti began to rain. I got to the last weld, and of course, a few drops of water got into the mould without me knowing it.
The Tinsel Fairy visited me with white hot liquid bronze... Fortunately, it only peppered and burned my clothing. I got lucky!
I've had minor tinsel episodes. I try to make sure everything is dry AND to breach sealed jacketed bullets. Hot lead randomly squirting out of them is no fun...
Happy Shootin'! -Tom

[fatnhappy]

A cold ingot blew with such force it put a hole in the cast iron pot and ejected 40# of lead in every direction

[chboats]

The OP ask if anyone has photos of the results. I don't know about the others that have been visited by the fairy but taking a picture was the last thing on my mind after it happened.

Carl

[songdog53]

Was lucky for i was remelting some boolits that was given to me and after had poured them into smelting pot and heard something rolling around in bottom of coffee can and was live primer. Boy did i stand back toll boolits were fully melted and was so happy wasn't another live one i missed. I know Tinsel Fairy would have showed up big time and brought her sisters with her.

[btroj]

The OP ask if anyone has photos of the results. I don't know about the others that have been visited by the fairy but taking a picture was the last thing on my mind after it happened.

Carl

I think someone mentioned changing shorts. That would be much higher on my list than taking a photo.

Brad

[geargnasher]

She's kind of like a ghost, always there, always watching, but rarely seen, almost never photographed. She leaves behind evidence, like speckles of pixie dust on the ceiling fan blades 7-1/2 feet above the surface of my pot, for example. That one was from a handfull of (supposedly) unprimed "dummy" rounds I load to check chambering, they accumulate and periodically I throw them in the pot to salvage the lead, then toss the ruined brass, but this time I either had one with a live primer or was a fully loaded round. The .357 Magnum put a hole in the inside of my Lee pot and put the top inch of the partially melted lead everywhere. What was left of the case head embedded in one of the ceiling fan blades, causing it to wobble pretty badly. Thought I was safe starting with a cold pot, but she caught my carelessness. My ears rang for the better part of a week.

Gear

[btroj]

Wow, some people don't get just a visit from the fairy, she moves in!

Brad

[fatnhappy]

The OP ask if anyone has photos of the results. I don't know about the others that have been visited by the fairy but taking a picture was the last thing on my mind after it happened.

Carl

Yeah, like I was going to provide swmbo with the prosecutorial evidence to end casting. NOT!

[btroj]

Had not thought of the evidence side of things. Keeping our mess a secret is not all bad, is it.

Brad